FIR lodged in Bhopal against Congs' Kamal Nath over 'Indian Corona' & 'Aag laga do' remark

Following former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath's contentious comment over the 'Indian variant' of the Coronavirus and the 'Aag Laga Do' video which was shared by the BJP, an FIR has been lodged against the veteran Congress leader in Bhopal. The plaint seeks to invoke the stringent act of sedition against the former Madhya Pradesh chief minister along with Section 124-2, 153A and Cyber Crime's 65B of the Indian Penal Code. The FIR has been filed in Bhopal after several BJP leaders sought the same citing the Congress' leaders controversial comment despite WHO clearly advocating against naming mutations of the virus after countries and using the scientific name instead. 

Kamal Nath's 'Aag laga do' video

The complaint seeks action against Kamal Nath after his video had come to the fore, in which he is seemingly seen instigating farmers. In the video, the veteran Congress leader can be heard urging Congress workers to 'set fire' ('Aag Laga Do') in order for the farmers to 'get justice'. In a 20-second-long video shared by BJP leader VD Sharma, Kamal Nath can be seen addressing a virtual meeting and is heard telling the Congress workers that it was the right opportunity to 'set fire' ('aag laga do') & that the farmers would get justice. 

In the video put out by BJP, the former Madhya Pradesh CM is heard telling Congress workers that farmers getting justice was the first task and that 'setting fire' would be the second task, adding that it was the perfect time to do so. The video comes at a time when farmers have vowed to intensify the protest against the three contentious farm laws in view of the Modi government's completion of 7 years in power. 

The FIR registered on Sunday also makes note of Kamal Nath's insensitive comments on the mutated variant of Coronavirus found in India. Kamal Nath had described the new COVID-19 variant as 'Indian Corona' saying that the 'Mera Bharat Mahaan' statement was redundant with India's image now being associated with Coronavirus.

Kamal Nath is heard saying in the video, "We would say China, Chinese Corona, Chinese Corona. If you remember, when it started in January 2020, they would say this Corona is from China, it was made in a laboratory and it came from a particular city. Where have we reached today? Today, the world calls it Indian corona. You have seen that the British PM said that cancel all flights as we are scared of Indian Corona."

'Amounts to sedition': MP Minister

Reacting to FIR registered against the veteran Congress leader, Madhya Pradesh Minister Vishvas Sarang said that whatever Kamal Nath has said amount to sedition. Terming the FIR as a message to others, Sarang said that Kamal Nath is carrying forward the tradition of Congress to malign India. 

"Whatever Kamal Nath has done amounts to sedition. He has carried forward the tradition of Congress. The way he has tried to defame India amid the pandemic by calling it the Indian variant, was an attempt to malign the image of India. In the virtual meet, he had with his workers, he tried to instigate farmers and disrupt positive relations. Taking both these things into account, we had sought an FIR against him. This will be a message for those leaders who try to defame and malign India on the global stage," Sarang told Republic TV on Sunday.